TeamFisher.com » neighbourhood news

Royal LePage Saskatoon’s ‘Garage Sale for Shelter’ a pleasing success

Norm Fisher — Sun, 13 May 2012 15:08:59 +0000

Last week, I asked you for a product donation to Royal LePage’s National Garage Sale for Shelter. Many of you came through and we ended up with piles of great stuff to resell on Saturday at the local Royal LePage office . Thank you!

The wind presented the odd challenge, and the odd bit of breakage, but the sun shone and people arrived to buy. Thanks to those who participated in that way as well.

Those of us who were working the sale had a great time meeting people who generously paid for the few items they wanted to take home. By the end of the five-hour event, we were about $3,700 in the black, not a bad haul when you’re dealing with revenue that comes in as quarters, loonies and toonies. That money will be donated to the YWCA Crisis Shelter and Interval House where it will go to work helping woman and kids who have experienced abuse at home make a fresh start in a safe place. Again, thank you so much.

Similar efforts were conducted at Royal LePage offices across the country. When we have a total tally of proceeds raised, we’ll let you know.

The Royal LePage Shelter Foundation is Canada’s largest public foundation dedicated exclusively to funding women’s shelters and violence prevention and education programs. Administrative costs of operation are underwritten by Royal LePage so 100% of proceeds raised through commission based donations from agents, and community events like our garage sale and our funspiel go directly to the shelters we support. Since its inception, Royal LePage agents and brokers have contributed or raised over $14 million to help end family violence for more than 30,000 women and children who take refuge in a shelter each year.

If you missed out on the sale and would like to make a financial contribution, however large or small, you can do so at the Shelter Foundation website.

Thanks again,

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

I have a huge favour to ask of you and I’m really hoping you will help

Norm Fisher — Wed, 02 May 2012 21:51:39 +0000

I have a huge favour to ask of you and I’m really hoping you will help.

On May 12, Royal LePage will host a “National Garage Sale for Shelter” and our Saskatoon office is participating. All of the proceeds raised in Saskatoon will benefit local women and kids seeking shelter at the YWCA Crisis Shelter and Interval House.

Often, these people are fleeing homes where they’re being abused. Yes, there’s a lot of that going on, even here in our lovely city. When these people finally gather the courage to make a break they need a place to go. The Shelter Foundation is all about ensuring that they have a safe place where they can get a fresh start.

We need stuff to sell. Decent stuff that people will pay for.

Please, do me a big favour and look around your home for a few good items that you no longer use, things that others might find useful. If you can make the time, drop them by my office at 620 Heritage Lane before May 11 between 8:30 am and 5:00 pm. If you can’t make it by, drop me a note (my contact information is all here) and we’ll make sure your items gets picked up.

Then, drop in on May 12. We’ll be here from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm selling burgers and baking, and hosting one huge garage sale.

A quick click of the “Like” button at the top or bottom of this post to help us spread the word would be hugely appreciated as well.

By the way, the proceeds of this National Garage Sale and those conducted in the past will most likely blast past the $1 million dollar mark this year. Through agent commission donations and the fundraising activities of the Royal LePage network, we have raised more than $14 million to help provide a safe haven to more than 30,000 women and children each year and to support prevention programs that stop the cycle of family violence. Tens of thousands of dollars have been raised to benefit Saskatoon shelters. It’s a darned good cause and it makes a huge difference for many, even here in our lovely city.

Thanks so much for your support.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

Lots in Kensington, Saskatoon’s newest residential neighbourhood available this fall

Norm Fisher — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 18:06:03 +0000

As lot sales in Saskatoon’s Hampton Village wrap up, the city of Saskatoon is pushing forward plans to get its newest neighbourhood, Kensington, underway ahead of schedule. We’re told that we can expect to see an initial residential lot draw in the fall, with construction beginning soon after.

Bounded by Highway 14 on the south, to the west of Confederation Park and Pacific Heights the Kensington area concept plan calls for a 473-acre neighbourhood with a central village style layout, similar to Willowgrove and Hampton Village with two schools and a commercial area that should be easily accessed by pedestrian traffic. The city’s plan envisions 1600 single-family homes, 689 townhomes and 821 apartment units to house approximately 8300 residents by the time that development in the area winds down. Just under thirty-acres of public park space is provided for in the plan.

Read more: City moves Kensington plan forward – Star Phoenix

Read more: Kensington Neighbourhood Concept Plan – Municipal Matters

I’m always happy to answer your Saskatoon real estate questions. All of my contact info is here. Please feel free to call or email.

Our Saskatoon home search tool offers MLS® listings represented by all real estate brands, presented with more detail than you’ll find anywhere else. Check it out here.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

Montgomery apartment complex project can proceed as planned

Norm Fisher — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 14:48:54 +0000

About 150 Montgomery area residents showed up at Monday’s city council meeting for one final kick at the cat, an attempt to stop North Ridge Developments from building multi-family dwellings on a 29-acre parcel of land that they own on 11^th Street West.

That effort failed.

Citing concerns for safety and uncertainty about the impact of traffic in the area Montgomery residents asked the city to delay the development of the land until Circle Drive South is completed and the impact of traffic can be determined.

All councillors in attendance, with the exception of Pat Lorje who represents the area voted to allow the project to proceed.

Read: Star Phoenix – Protest fails to halt development
Read: Council meeting minutes

Learn more about beautiful Montgomery Place.

Get the most current market intelligence with our FREE Market Snapshot including prices of homes recently sold in your area. Get it here, now.

I’m always happy to answer your Saskatoon real estate questions. All of my contact info is here. Please feel free to call or email.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

Local residents aim to save historic Third Avenue United Church

Norm Fisher — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 19:08:35 +0000

A small group of volunteers have come together to promote alternate uses for the Third Avenue United Church out of concern that the historic building could eventually be sold and destroyed to make way for new development, according to a story in today’s Star Phoenix.

If approved by the church, the non-profit organization will promote the location for community events and concerts. “A building of this size and beauty shouldn’t only be in existence for four hours on a Sunday morning. So that’s really what the (Third Avenue Centre) is here to do, is to facilitate the rest of the week and bring in revenue that the church can’t,” said Mark Turner, a representative of the group.

Over the years, attendance at the 1000 seat church, which is located at the corner of 3rd Avenue and 24th Street in Saskatoon’s Central Business District, has dwindled to about 100 people per week making it difficult to manage expenses.

Read Group Aims to save Landmark.

Learn more about the Central Business District.

Bethany Manor in Saskatoon’s City Park demolished to make way for condo development

Norm Fisher — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 18:51:14 +0000

The site of the 100 year old Bethany Manor has been cleared of the old building and will soon be home to a new City Park condominium project. The home was destroyed last weekend to make way for the new development.

Local developer, Tim Ryan had offered to give the house to anyone who was prepared to move it to another location but the costs of moving the old structure were just too high.

City Park Community Association president, Michael Murphy expressed his disappointment in a story that appeared in the Star Phoenix just prior to the demolition. “An unusual, memorable historic house is about to be demolished to make way for a condo unit. It’s a character house which added some style to City Park. It’s 100 years old, a bit of history. It’s very sad to see it torn down and demolished,” he said.

Others have said that the house was poorly designed and in bad repair. Clearly nobody was up for the challenge of renovating it.

A photo gallery of the demolition can be found here.

Learn more about the City Park area here.

Sense of community and friendly neighbours define College Park East: Resident

Norm Fisher — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 15:02:59 +0000

Here’s a link to an article that’s part of a series that appears in Bridges in which Charles Hamilton gets a feel for a Saskatoon neighbourhood from a resident of the area. This one is about the College Park East area of Saskatoon.

Long time College Park East resident, Eric Olauson tells Charles, “I love the sense of community here. Everyone seems to take care of their neighbours. You always get a friendly hello. People tend to come together rather than pull apart. We have every demographic in this neighbourhood, we always seem to pull together. We all seem to get behind each other, we support each other. I really wouldn’t live in any other place in the city.”

Read the entire article here.

See our neighbourhood page for College Park East.

I’m always happy to answer your Saskatoon real estate questions. All of my contact info is here. Please feel free to call of email me.

Get the most current market intelligence with our FREE Market Snapshot including prices of homes recently sold in your area. Get it here, now.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

Average Saskatoon home prices by area for 2011

Norm Fisher — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:59:06 +0000

Here’s a bit of an overview of current home prices for each Saskatoon neighbourhood during 2011. They’re sorted from the lowest price, to the highest price using the numbers in the “all residential” column.

Home owners may want to click into their neighbourhood page for more specific information on what real estate activity occurred in their area last year. Once you’re on the appropriate page, the tabbed box below the area description includes general sales information and a ten-year price trend for the neighbourhood and how it compares to the Saskatoon market in general. While you’re there, please consider leaving a brief review of your neighbourhood in the comments section of the page. I’d appreciate it and so would people considering a home purchase in your area.

Area	All Residential	Condominium	Single-family
Pleasant Hill	$165,038	$182,055	$160,771
Riversdale	$180,943	$149,900	$172,818
King George	$187,381	No sales	$189,332
Westmount	$191,673	$212,000	$187,907
Mayfair	$194,567	No sales	$194,343
Meadowgreen	$195,143	$105,644	$235,242
Kelsey/Woodlawn	$197,809	No sales	$206,840
Caswell Hill	$209,994	$192,233	$213,146
Massey Place	$223,179	$161,840	$240,897
Exhibition	$223,235	$170,269	$237,089
Fairhaven	$232,329	$173,400	$266,711
Sutherland	$234,088	$167,117	$276,843
Holiday Park	$234,400	$162,500	$247,544
Lakewood	$242,380	$242,761	No sales
Mount Royal	$242,945	No sales	$241,764
Pacific Heights	$247,754	No sales	$246,329
Hudson Bay Park	$248,608	No sales	$248,608
Blairmore	$248,900	$248,900	No sales
Confederation Park	$249,935	$132,000	$254,591
Forest Grove	$255,227	$175,971	$324,927
City Park	$260,666	$215,821	$297,719
Wildwood	$260,730	$238,332	$343,547
East College Park	$264,373	$165,553	$317,423
Westview Heights	$268,937	No sales	$267,937
North Park	$272,086	No sales	$276,450
River Heights	$279,521	$193,441	$345,926
Buena Vista	$281,061	$296,000	$262,690
Dundonald	$282,045	$142,900	$304,717
University Heights	$283,083	$283,008	No sales
Haultain	$285,522	$155,225	$280,595
Lawson Heights	$287,382	$245,899	$381,633
Lakeview	$294,110	$183,932	$368,049
Queen Elizabeth	$294,644	No sales	$294,644
Parkridge	$295,944	$210,167	$311,525
Brevoort Park	$298,543	$164,123	$333,995
Richmond Heights	$298,993	$164,000	$332,742
West College Park	$299,681	$167,600	$323,580
Holliston	$307,932	$200,000	$313,071
Avalon	$309,001	$325,000	$309,825
Central Business District	$316,331	$316,331	No sales
Eastview	$322,851	$190,300	$331,989
Greystone Heights	$328,479	$315,534	$340,926
Adelaide/Churchill	$329,472	$336,000	$330,305
Nutana Park	$330,900	$319,000	$331,561
Nutana S.C.	$291,850	$291,850	No sales
Stonebridge	$336,445	$266,819	$383,719
Hampton Village	$339,219	$280,608	$346,397
Nutana	$352,702	$276,441	$428,964
Varsity View	$372,466	$289,209	$401,670
Silverwood Heights	$375,505	$215,650	$368,410
Grosvenor Park	$376,162	$233,656	$427,057
Erindale	$383,614	$277,000	$406,459
Lakeridge	$385,288	$178,000	$390,224
Montgomery Place	$385,961	No sales	$385,961
Silverspring	$390,076	$260,675	$427,819
Arbor Creek	$405,126	$266,562	$451,185
Willowgrove	$439,810	$316,142	$469,156
Briarwood	$448,573	$298,786	$534,599
Evergreen	$511,424	No sales	$510,614
Rosewood	$539,612	$285,914	$595,989
The Willows	$646,729	$555,256	$811,380

Egadz homes in Stonebridge provide a fresh start for young moms and their kids

Norm Fisher — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:02:55 +0000

I picked this up from the Star Phoenix yesterday. It sounds like these homes will provide a much needed service in the community. Hats off to those involved in helping these young families come back together to build a healthy future.

Young mothers who regain custody of their children from Social Services with the help of Saskatoon’s Egadz outreach programs will have a new place to live in Stonebridge this fall.

Mah’s Place – named for EGADZ supporters Wally and Colleen Mah – is a five-bedroom house under construction on Dulmage Crescent, next door to another EGADZ home for infants and toddlers whose mothers are enrolled in a program called Baby Steps.

As with the 13 other homes already operated by EGADZ, Mah’s Place and Baby Steps will look like any other house in the neighbourhood.

Read Innovative care home under construction.

Learn more about the Stonebridge area of Saskatoon.

Green space and park amenities are the leading ‘likes’ for Briarwood resident

Norm Fisher — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:49:55 +0000

Briarwood resident, Dave Wilton tells Charles, “There is lots of green space, lots of biking and walking trails. Lots of that. And there’s a spray pool park. It’s really well developed with a lot green space…I find this is one of the best areas for commuting back and forth. We have so many good roads out of here, Eighth Street being one of them, we have Taylor and we have the freeway. There is no problem getting downtown.”

Read the entire article here.

See our neighbourhood page for Briarwood.

I’m always happy to answer your Saskatoon real estate questions. All of my contact info is here. Please feel free to call of email me.

Get the most current market intelligence with our FREE Market Snapshot including prices of homes recently sold in your area. Get it here, now.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

Saskatoon’s Mayfair area – Then and now

Norm Fisher — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:38:45 +0000

Here’s a link to an article that’s part of a series that appear in Bridges in which Charles Hamilton gets a feel for a Saskatoon neighbourhood from a resident of the area. This one is about the Mayfair area of Saskatoon.

Read it here.

See our neighbourhood page for Mayfair here.

I’m always happy to answer your Saskatoon real estate questions. All of my contact info is here. Please feel free to call of email me.

Get the most current market intelligence with our FREE Market Snapshot including prices of homes recently sold in your area. Get it here, now.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

Proximity to university campus and park redevelopment big pluses for Greystone

Norm Fisher — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:34:55 +0000

Diane, an area resident tells Charles, “The most significant change was the redevelopment of Greystone Park. When the community association at the time was approached by the city to get the community together and discuss what they wanted, there was a huge effort put into the development of that park. People had input and I feel the city really listened to us. We were able to make really nice changes and now there’s life in that park. It’s a safe place to be because we dealt with some of the safety issues.”

Read the entire article here.

See our neighbourhood page for Greystone Heights.

I’m always happy to answer your Saskatoon real estate questions. All of my contact info is here. Please feel free to call of email me.

Get the most current market intelligence with our FREE Market Snapshot including prices of homes recently sold in your area. Get it here, now.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

Parks, schools and walkability are top perks for Brevoort Park resident

Norm Fisher — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:52:39 +0000

Iris says of Brevoort Park, “Just one block down and you are at the park and the schools are at either end of the park. Just a couple blocks walking distance you’re at Walter Murray or Holy Cross (high schools), so it’s very handy. It’s very comfortable and convenient for walking. Anything and everything you want to do…”

Read the entire article here.

See our neighbourhood page for Brevoort Park.

I’m always happy to answer your Saskatoon real estate questions. All of my contact info is here. Please feel free to call of email me.

Get the most current market intelligence with our FREE Market Snapshot including prices of homes recently sold in your area. Get it here, now.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

Multi-family development near Montgomery Place can proceed

Norm Fisher — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 19:07:22 +0000

Last week, Montgomery Place residents scored a bit of a win when the City of Saskatoon announced that a proposed wind turbine at the nearby landfill would not go ahead as planned. This week, they weren’t so lucky as city administrators prepared a report for council that states a proposed multi-family development on land just North of 11th Street can move forward in the approval process.

The report states that existing zoning is appropriate for the proposed development which will meet the city’s long-term plans to encourage a mix of housing types in all neighbourhoods. Currently, single-family homes are the only type of housing available in the Montgomery area. Further, the report explains that the development will contribute to a “more compact and efficient urban form and make effective use of existing community infrastructure,” an important consideration given the rapid population growth that Saskatoon is experiencing.

Once the approval process has been completed, five acres of the 18-acre parcel of the land owned by North Ridge Developmentswill become home to a 192 unit apartment complex. The remaining 13 acres will likely be developed as demand dictates. The current plan calls for up to 750 housing units when complete.

The project met resistance from the area’s community association who feel that the development is “out of step with the character of adjacent Montgomery Place,” according to a story in the Star Phoenix. Many residents of the historic area that was developed in honour of Second World War veterans feel that the neighbourhood has been “under siege” as the area around them changes to accommodate and expanded landfill, a new bus barn and city yards site, and the extension of Circle Drive South.

In one seemingly over-the-top expression of concern, Councilor Pat Lorje, speaking about Second World War veterans, declared the move as an end to “the recognition of their sacrifice.”

I’m going to go ahead and make two bold predictions. Saskatoon will continue to honour the sacrifice of our Second World Wars veterans, and Montgomery Place will maintain its unique charm for years to come in spite of this development. It’s a beautiful area now and so it will remain.

Learn more about beautiful Montgomery Place.
Read: Montgomery development can proceed; Lorje says decision ‘dishonours’ veterans.
Read also: Montgomery plan approved.

I’m always happy to answer your Saskatoon real estate questions. All of my contact info is here. Please feel free to call of email me.

Get the most current market intelligence with our FREE Market Snapshot including prices of homes recently sold in your area. Get it here, now.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

Saskatoon’s Nutana area offers diversity in its people and its homes

Norm Fisher — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:20:35 +0000

Area resident, Jill Smith tells Charles, “The cool thing about Nutuna is there is such a wide variety of people that live there. You have students and rich doctors and lawyers — just a whole scope of all different kinds of people. There are people that don’t live there but flock to the area because it’s so beautiful. People feel safe there. They are people jogging around at all times, at 11 o’clock at night because people feel safe.”

Read the entire article here.

See our neighbourhood page for Nutana here.

I’m always happy to answer your Saskatoon real estate questions. All of my contact info is here. Please feel free to call of email me.

Get the most current market intelligence with our FREE Market Snapshot including prices of homes recently sold in your area. Get it here, now.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

Construction of Affinity Credit Union offices underway in City Park

Norm Fisher — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 16:29:16 +0000

Construction is underway on the new Affinity Credit Union offices which will be located at 710 Duke Street in Saskatoon’s City Park. The construction plan, managed by Meridian Development will make use of the existing 49,000 square foot building on the site. Some additional space is being added at the North end of the building to accommodate what appears to be the main entrance to the offices.

As a former school, the parcel includes a fair bit of land that had previously been used for recreation. It looks like the construction plan will leave a lot of room for additional development to the North and to the East of the existing building. I expect that we’ll eventually see that land used for condominium development, but that’s only a guess.

The building was originally constructed in 1927 by the Saskatoon School Board as Wilson School. When the school amalgamated with North Park School in 1993, the property was purchased by the First Nations University of Canada who used it as a school until 2011 when funding issues forced them to sell.

Visit TeamFisher’s City Park neighbourhood page.

I’m always happy to answer your Saskatoon real estate questions. All of my contact info is here. Please feel free to call of email me.

Get the most current market intelligence with our FREE Market Snapshot including prices of homes recently sold in your area. Get it here, now.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

Montgomery Place residents win one as proposed wind turbine gets scrapped

Norm Fisher — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:51:08 +0000

A story in this morning’s Star Phoenix says that the wind turbine that had been previously approved by Saskatoon city council for construction has been scrapped.Only one bid was received to build the controversial 120-metre turbine, and that bid was $1.35 million more than the budget allotted for the project.

Vocal residents of Montgomery Place argued that the turbine would be an eye-sore in the historic area and that noise generated by the turbine would be troublesome to those living in the area.

I’m always happy to answer your Saskatoon real estate questions. All of my contact info is here. Please feel free to call of email me.

Get the most current market intelligence with our FREE Market Snapshot including prices of homes recently sold in your area. Get it here, now.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

Montgomery residents say no to proposed apartment buildings in their area

Norm Fisher — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:33:50 +0000

Residents of Saskatoon’s Montgomery Place area are rattled at the thought of apartment buildings in their area, one of the few neighbourhoods in the city that is comprised entirely of single-family dwellings.North Ridge Developments, which owns an 18 acre parcel on 11th Street East is seeking approval to build three four-storey rental apartments with a total of 192 units on five acres of that land. The remaining 13 acres could be developed if an appropriate level of demand exists. The current bylaw allows for this type of construction, and has since 1979, but a designation added in the ‘90’s requires developers to show that the existing infrastructure is adequate to accommodate new development. Residents of the area feel that a potential doubling of the population in the historic area would lead to traffic congestion and over-populated schools.

Montgomery residents seem to be feeling a bit “under siege,” according to a recent story in the Star Phoenix. Other recent concerns include a proposed 120-metre wind turbine which would be erected at the landfill, the development of Circle Drive South, and the plan to relocate the city yards and the public transit headquarters, all of which will be adjacent to the area.

I’m always happy to answer your Saskatoon real estate questions. All of my contact info is here. Please feel free to call of email me.

Get the most current market intelligence with our FREE Market Snapshot including prices of homes recently sold in your area. Get it here, now.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

Remai Art Gallery of Saskatchewan wins prestigious design award

Norm Fisher — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 23:23:59 +0000

The design for the Remai Art Gallery of Saskatchewan has been selected as one of eight 2011 Award of Excellence recipients by Canadian Architect magazine and is featured on the cover of this month’s issue.

According to the story in the Star Phoenix, the $84 million gallery was selected from “163 submissions judged by a jury of Canada’s top architects.”

The gallery will be constructed at River Landing in Saskatoon’s Central Business District beginning in 2012 with an anticipated completion in late 2014.

Read: Remai gallery receives national award.

I’m always happy to answer your Saskatoon real estate questions. All of my contact info is here. Please feel free to call or email.

Our Saskatoon home search tool offers MLS® listings represented by all real estate brands, presented with more detail than you’ll find anywhere else. Check it out here.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

Sense of community alive and well in Saskatoon’s Hudson Bay Park

Norm Fisher — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 21:02:58 +0000

Angie Lato, a ten year resident of Hudson Bay Park says, “When I look out my front door there’s a Lutheran Church, a seniors’ care home and the Catholic Elementary School and I was raising a family. I thought ‘you can’t get much better than this.’ The area has nice little crescents and a real sense of community. I felt that right from the beginning. It was an easy choice. We’re a really small area though – a little triangle on the map.”

Read the entire article here.

See our neighbourhood page of Hudson Bay Park.

I’m always happy to answer your Saskatoon real estate questions. All of my contact info is here. Please feel free to call of email me.

Get the most current market intelligence with our FREE Market Snapshot including prices of homes recently sold in your area. Get it here, now.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

Zoning change keeps Westmount dance studio alive despite protests from neighbours

Norm Fisher — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:22:21 +0000

“The rezoning of a Westmount dance studio and karate school that split the neighbourhood was approved Monday by city council as friends and dance community members rallied behind the business.”

Read: Westmount fitness studio can dance on – Star Phoenix

River Landing Village one step closer to reality as zoning changes pass

Norm Fisher — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:56:26 +0000

Zoning changes proposed by Victory Majors Investments that make River Landing Village “economical” were approved by Saskatoon city council at their November 22^nd meeting. The Meewasin Valley Authority (MVA) followed with their approval on Friday, paving the way for a potential spring of 2012 ground breaking.

Victory Major Investments took over the project from Lake Placid Developments last year when the developer failed to secure adequate financing. Initially, Victory promised quick action on getting the project started but later petitioned the city for changes to the previously approved project.

The approved changes have the potential building height increasing to 95 meters, from 68 meters, commercial space increasing from 30% to 40% and the allowable floor space increasing by as much as 50 percent.

The MVA is a conservation organization dedicated to conserving the natural and cultural heritage resources of the South Saskatchewan River Valley in Saskatoon. As such, all of the development at River Landing in Saskatoon’s Central Business District must meet their approval.

Read: Zoning changes approved for River Landing project.
Read: MVA greenlights art gallery, Nasar Magaproject in River Landing.

I’m always happy to answer your Saskatoon real estate questions. All of my contact info is here. Please feel free to call or email.

Our Saskatoon home search tool offers MLS® listings represented by all real estate brands, presented with more detail than you’ll find anywhere else. Check it out here.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

Rivergreen Ecovillage fails to secure financing – developer cancels plans

Norm Fisher — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 20:13:25 +0000

David Hutton is reporting some disappointing news about the Rivergreen Ecovillage, a “green” condominium development that had been proposed for Phase 2 of River Landing. The 65-unit condo complex was to be built at the corner of 19th Street and Avenue C in Riversdale but the developer has announced the cancellation of the project after they failed to obtain adequate financing for it.

Check Dave’s blog here.

Learn more about the Riversdale area here.

Visit our Saskatoon Neighbourhood Profiles pages to learn more about what’s going on in our city’s neighbourhoods.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

Saskatoon city council approves River Landing office building

Norm Fisher — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 15:52:03 +0000

City council has unanimously approved construction of a 71,000 square foot office building that will likely become the first private-sector development to get under way at Saskatoon’s River Landing. The five-storey office building, to be located at 475 2nd Avenue South across from the Remai Arts Centre, will include some retail space, a restaurant, a fitness centre, a “street-level patio” and a parkade that will accommodate forty-one vehicles. Construction will likely begin this summer.

Read the Star Phoenix story here.
Read the minutes on this topic from Monday’s council meeting here.

Learn more about Saskatoon’s Central Business District here.
Discover other great Saskatoon neighbourhoods here.

I’m always happy to answer your Saskatoon real estate questions. All of my contact info is here. Please feel free to call or email.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

Saskatoon’s Two Twenty comes to life with the opening of Collective Coffee

Norm Fisher — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 15:46:18 +0000

Opening day at Collective Coffee

Collective Coffee, the latest addition to the Riversdale business district opened its doors yesterday to become the first operating tenant at Saskatoon’s Two Twenty.

Located at 220 20th Street West, this charming little coffee stop immediately comes off as a fun place to be. With just four tables and a stand up bar, fifteen people feels like a party, and hey, who doesn’t want to be at a party?

We met warm and friendly people on both sides of the amazing service counter that’s constructed of salvaged pickle wood from the former vinegar factory and beautifully framed in steel strapping that was reclaimed from the old Toon’s Kitchen dumbwaiter. Darkly stained fir wall panels, steel I-beam shelving and a display of local art complete this collection of Saskatoon treasures.

Floor to ceiling windows along the south side of the shop welcome the sun for a good part of the day and the overhead door will provide a great connection to additional sidewalk seating for at least half of the year.

Naturally, espresso, macchiato, cappuccino, latte, coffee and tea are all on the menu and were served up by a couple of baristas who actually seem to understand that a warm smile is the perfect compliment to a hot coffee. An impressive offering of baked goods from breakfast cookies to pumpkin and chocolate chip bread was also available.

Overall, Collective Coffee is a pretty cool addition to the Riversdale neighbourhood. Take a few minutes to check it next time you’re in the area or downtown.

Learn more about Collective Coffee and The Two Twenty here.
Learn more about the Riversdale neighborhood here.

Visit our Saskatoon Neighbourhood Profiles pages to learn more about what’s going on in our city’s neighbourhoods.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate